Defour came off during the first half of Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at Southampton, having suffered a hamstring injury clearing the ball under pressure from former Claret Charlie Austin.

It was too early to ascertain the full extent of the problem in the immediate aftermath, as Dyche explained: “I don’t know yet, it’s too early to say.

“I think it’s a hamstring, so it’s too early to tell the severity.”

Defour had played 90 minutes for Belgium, picking up his 50th cap for his country in a 6-0 win in Gibraltar last Monday night, and asked whether international duty contributed, Dyche added: “You can never guarantee that (fatigue after international duty), it’s hard to define, we look at the stats and up against their training load, and it’s hard.

“I’ve no clue (for Everton).

“That’s not ideal but, on the other hand, it gave young Aiden (O’Neill) another chance. He’s 18 and doing a really good job, and maturing nicely. It will do him no harm at all, even in tough circumstances like that. It’s part of your growth as a player.”

l Sean Dyche smiled as he hailed Charlie Austin as Burnley’s “good luck omen” despite the former Claret’s two goals for Southampton on Sunday.

Austin has four goals in three games against his old club, after a £4m move to QPR in 2013, and Dyche joked: “I’m never sick of the sight of Charlie, he got sold for £4m quid and we’ve been promoted twice since!

“He’a good luck omen, I give him a big high five every time I see him, ‘well done Charlie, thank god you left, ever since then we’ve kept going (motions upwards), it’s just a different way of putting it.”